The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-11-12
The Festival Of JugRernaut. !
lsouthwestorn Presbyterisn. ],

-.,... Northwestern Presbytorisn,l
Tho announcement that the once
famous Festival OF Juggernaut has 10
declined In popularity as to rendertit
necessary for the priests to hire coolies
to drag the car, Is a measure OF the ex.
tent to which tho destructive solvent
of Western thought Is being applied to
Eastern creeds. Not many years ago
such report would have been received
with incredulity. Tho car Of the great
god of Pooree was one of the most
sacred Of Brahmintc "properties," aud
the Rath Jattra, a festival which, In
importance, yielded to that Of no other
deity in the Hindoo Pantheon. Fsou1
every part Of the vast Empire Of Hin
dostan, pilgrims tlocked 10 share In II,
and when the car of JUggernaut WAs
dragged once year from the temple
In order to bathe tho gods In the cool
water Of the tank u mile and a half dis.
tant, the widest eDthusiasm seized the
vast multitude ofdevotces. Thousands
rushed TO seize the cables, and 30
eager were the volunteers for this holy
service that tho best and greatest men
Of Orissa struggled with each other 20
obtain u held upon the ropes. To use
the language o: an old writer who wit,
messed the Ra,h Jattra In Its paltny
days, "hey are SO greedy and eager
to draw IT that whosoever by shoulder
Ing, crowding, showing, hoaviug,
thrustipg, or III any insolent way. can
but lay their hands upon the rope,
think themselves blessed and happy.
Aud when 1t is going along the city,
there nre many Tint will offer them.
selves as sacrifice to the idol, aud
desperately lie down on the ground
that the chariot wheels may run over
thcn, whereby they arc killed out
right. Some get broken arms, some
broken legs, 80 that many are deslsoy.
ed and think to merit heaven" AT
even II latter date martyrs to JuRger-
nau', or Jagganna'th as he is more
correctly termed, were not infrequent.
| When Francis Buchanan was In
Poorce earty in this century, he de-
scribes tho harsh grating of the gigau-
tic car fs 1t moved along, the obscene
songs OF the priests in honor Of the
god, and the fierce glances which the
fanatics bestowed on the beef-eating
Englishman, as a pilgrim announced
himself ready to become u sacrificed TO
the idol. No one daring, or caring to
prevent tho sc!f-immolation, the man
| prOstrated himself on the road before
the tower as 1t moved oiong lying on his
face with his arms stretched forward
The multitude passed around him,
leaving the space clear, until be war
crushed TO death by the wheels Of the
ponderous structure. Then wild cry
of praise was raised, and as tho god
was seen TO .'smile" at the libation %
spouting blood, the devotees threw
!. cowries and pieces OF money ON the
body Of the victim in appreciation o
the molly deed by which ha had woE
, Immortality in the Hindoo Walhslia
} Indeed, 50 firmly fixed in the European
mind Is the idea that such scenes ar,
} OF frequent occurrence, that the sup
posed fact has given IL it d familia
. phrase. For when we speak OF q per
son crushing himself under the jug
gernaut wheels of conventionaiity, W
borrow the simile from this most IA
NOUS Of Indian rites. 1t is, therefore
suggestive OF a strange revolution ]
;, Hindoo opinion to hear that not onl
;, are victims lacking, bat that, instes
J. Of thousands struggling for the hon
y of a place at the drag ropes 1aborls
he men, at 80 many annas per diem, tS6
9, to be hired TO perform the sacred for
's, ton. ,..s., ,.,Is.